Passenger transportation carriers frequently provide entertainment systems on vehicles to alleviate passenger boredom. Vehicles for long-haul trips generally have more elaborate entertainment systems as passenger boredom tends to increase with trip duration and increased entertainment options helps to relieve boredom.
Vehicle entertainment systems, especially on vehicles for longer journeys, frequently include displays mounted at each seat. The displays are for use by passengers to interact with the entertainment system, make content selections, consume content, shop online, and other activities. Such entertainment systems often include a handheld device for each display, typically referred to as a personal control unit (PCU), for facilitating content selection and consumption, submitting requests to vehicle crew, controlling passenger services such as attendant call and reading lights, making purchases through the entertainment system, using the PCU as a game controller or second screen, and other uses.
While a PCU facilitates use of the entertainment system and providing input to entertainment system, most vehicle operators try to prevent loss of the units, especially on larger vehicles that may have hundreds of seats. Loss is normally prevented by tethering each PCU in the vicinity of its respective seat via a cable or cord connecting the unit to the entertainment system. The cord serves a dual purpose. In addition to preventing the PCU from being removed from the vicinity of its respective seat, the cord usually provides data and power to the PCU and connects the PCU in communication with the entertainment system.
While generally effective at preventing loss, the PCU cords have disadvantage in that the cords may hinder passenger entrance and exit from seats by entangling a passenger in a cord. In this regard, passengers typically exit from their seats from time to time during a trip, especially on longer journeys, to use the lavatory, stretch, retrieve or replace items from carryon luggage, visit the galley, speak with passengers at other seat locations, and/or speak with vehicle crew members. Hence, for safety and convenience, the cord is normally extendable and retractable from a spool or reel, with the cord extended while a PCU is being used, and the cord retracted when the PCU is not in use to stow the cord out of the way and reduce the chance of the cord obstructing passenger movement.
While conventional cord devices for providing extension and retraction of a cord have been satisfactory for some situations, improvements are desired, such as reduced weight, size, and/or increased reliability.